


Crafting Pride

by faeverett



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 'cause Eddie knows what he's doing okay, Buddie First Kiss Week 2020, Coming Out, Day 1: Related to Pride, First Kiss, M/M, also there's an OC 'cause the team needs more girls and more gays, but Calm Eddie, jealous buck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:34:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24498034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faeverett/pseuds/faeverett
Summary: The new probie gives pride bracelets out to the team. Eddie makes a few of his own. Buck gets mad about that for some reason.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 249





	Crafting Pride

The new probie was making those childish little string bracelets for pride and somehow, she’d roped _Eddie_ into helping. Not Hen, who had taken a rainbow one with brown stripes, but decided to keep studying; not Chim, who hadn’t taken any, but was usually first in line for bonding; not Cap, who’d she’d given a rainbow and a gray-scale one (“It’s for ‘straight pride,’” she’d scoffed, “which is totally stupid, but wear it with the other and hopefully everyone will get ‘ally.’”), but was too busy in the kitchen to help; not himself either, because even he had to admit that this was the kind of thing he usually went all in for.

No, it was Eddie sitting at the table, laughing, and brushing shoulders with this woman, letting her fingers work over his as she undid whatever mistake he’d made. His stomach burned and he had to swallow to unclench his jaw. Buck plastered a bright smile on instead and threw himself in the chair opposite them, ‘accidentally’ scattering the pile of finished bracelets.

“Careful, Buck,” Eddie’s voice was soft and Buck’s stomach squirmed. He gathered the bracelets back up, noting that there were about four or five of each so far, except the gray of which there were only two.

“Do you want one?” The girl—God, how did he forget her name?—leaned back to her own work, a pan one nearly complete, and nodded at the bracelets in his hand.

He was holding the two grays. He set them to the side. “Nah, I’m good.” He focused on sorting out the bracelets by sexuality and definitely didn’t stop to think about how the bi bracelet on her wrist meant she absolutely was flirting with Eddie.

“I can help you make your own, if you want.” She was watching him with a sort of curiosity, twisting her bracelet into shape without paying much attention. “That’s what Eddie wanted.”

Eddie flashed him a grin. “I know it’s kind of silly, but I thought I could at least make one for Chris.” Buck almost frowned until he looked down and saw that Eddie wasn’t making a pride bracelet, the colors were random: pink, gray, gold, green, blue, red. “Harder than I thought it’d be though.” He was still looking at Buck, gentle and warm, and Buck’s stomach swooped.

“Ah, fuck.” Eddie had fumbled another knot into his string. “Jo?”

Jo—that was her name!—was in the middle of starting another, this one a rainbow. She glanced down at Eddie’s. “Honey, just undo it.”

Buck’s throat constricted. _What the fuck?_ He tried not to scowl and failed, a hot and heavy jealousy rising up his back. She pushed up against Eddie again and he was watching her through those long lashes and they were just so goddamn giggly, hands sliding over the other’s—the sun broke through the window behind him and fell across the pair of them and it was like god herself was blessing their union. _What the FUCK?_

He tossed down the last of the bracelets and stood up, sending the chair clattering to the floor behind him. They both glanced up in surprise. In fact, he could feel everyone’s gaze on him. Buck kept his smile tight, because if he didn’t control his expression, something with worse consequences was bound to be revealed. “I gotta—”

Mercifully, the bell interrupted him.

***

He hadn’t known what he was about to say. He mulled it over in the truck on the way back, the, thankfully small, emergency dealt with.

“Go?” Where? Why? What’s the rush? Since he had three hours left on his shift, that wouldn’t have worked unless he followed it with, “to the bathroom.” But then everyone would have been on him about why he was announcing it like that.

So, “say something?” Again, he’d be riffed on for making an announcement, but depending on what it actually was, that was probably a decent option. If he’d been about to come out, which he didn’t think he was, that would’ve made it okay. If he’d been about to declare his hatred for Jo, which seemed more probable, that would’ve made it very not-okay.

Eddie shifted in the seat next to him, pressing their thighs together. “You’re thinking too much.” Buck glanced at him, annoyed, but Eddie looked amused. “I can hear it.”

Hen and Chim were in the ambulance. Bobby and Jo were up front. Eddie had no reason to have taken the seat right next to him, let alone press in this close. It was the kind of thing he’d been doing more of lately. The kind of thing that made Buck hopeful.

“So?” Eddie prompted. “Are you gonna tell me what it is?”

Buck shook his head with a grin. “If you can hear it, I shouldn’t have to say it.”

Eddie opened his mouth, but they were pulling into the station, so he patted Buck’s leg instead before he slid away. Buck had to take a moment, because the squeeze of Eddie’s fingers around his thigh had caused a short-circuit and his thoughts were consumed by an entirely different problem.

***

He was the last to get back upstairs, having decided a shower was in order, but the scene was pretty much the same. Hen and Chim were on the couch, studying, Bobby was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on dinner, and Eddie and Jo were at the table, surrounded by string and bracelets.

There was a significant amount more, which Buck wasn’t sure how that was possible, since Eddie seemed to be working on the same one—pink, gray, gold, green, blue, red—only about four rows farther along. He looked up as Buck sat down. “You good?”

He nodded in response and leaned back, not content exactly, but not unhappy, either, to watch the two of them work on their separate bracelets.

“Alright, clear the table,” Bobby called, grabbing a stack of plates from the cabinet. “And come get it while it’s hot.”

“Wait, I’m almost done.” Eddie muttered, tongue between his teeth in concentration.

Hen and Chim made their way past, arguing whether Hen had been correct about something or other—there were a lot of “technically, but”s being thrown around. Jo popped up, bag in hand, and started packing all the bracelets into various pockets, keeping them sorted and, apparently, adding them to some she already had.

She paused over the last two groups, pan and bi. “Last chance.” She was looking at him.

He frowned back at her. She couldn’t—She _didn’t know_ him. “Still good, thanks.” What did she think she was doing? God, he was starting to think he really did hate her.

She shrugged and swept them away, then took all the loose string too. Only her unfinished one was left. It was bi. She tossed her bag back to the floor and abandoned it there.

Eddie finished tying his off and whooped. He held it up toward the kitchen, getting up. “Alright, Jo?”

“Best one yet, I think.”

Buck was alone at the table. The unfinished bracelet taunted him. He knew how to make them, of course, because Maddie had taught him after catching him throwing away a bunch he’d been gifted in school. She’d said he needed to learn about the effort that went into it so he wouldn’t keep wasting so much of everyone else’s. Jo would probably think she just packed it up too. And he could have one without it becoming a big deal.

“You coming, Buckaroo?” Chim’s plate was piled high and he edged around the island back toward the table. Jo was putting Eddie’s bracelet on him and he stepped closer to her to let Chim pass.

“Nah,” Buck swallowed and got up, tucking the bracelet into his pocket. “I’m not that hungry.” He went back downstairs. Alone.

***

Eddie caught up to him in the parking lot, after their shift had ended. “Hey, Jo invited us to her favorite bar tonight, if you wanna go.” His hand was on Buck’s arm. The colors of his bracelet glared at him. Pink, gray, gold. Green, blue, red.

Buck glared back. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah?” Eddie pulled back, uncertain. “It’s the first night of pride, so she asked everyone to celebrate.”

Buck’s hand closed around the now finished bracelet in his pocket, finding a new reason to hate Jo. “Every time I’ve wanted to go out for the past two months, all of you are too busy, but the new girl asks one time and you’re all just in? For pride? Which only her and Hen and—no one else has a reason to celebrate?”

“Uh, Buck?” Eddie took a full step back now, concern growing.

Buck gritted his teeth, because, damn it, he didn’t want to be pushing Eddie away, but he was still afraid of what he might do—might reveal, if he didn’t. He really couldn’t handle the look on Eddie’s face if he found out what Buck had been feeling all this time, couldn’t stand the rejection he’d see there.

“Look, you guys all go have fun. You and Bobby and Chim can wear your stupid ‘straight pride ally’ bracelets and get too drunk to realize you don’t belong there. I don’t care. I’m going home.” Buck turned away, crossing the lot to his jeep.

Eddie followed. “I’m the only one going. And I’m not an ally.”

“Well, whatever your dumb bracelet means then.” Buck opened his door and tossed his bag over the seat to the back. He climbed in after it. “Like I said, I don’t care.”

“Hey.” Eddie caught the door before Buck could close it, his voice sharp. “It’s not dumb. You are.”

He had to scoff. “I’m sorry, are we in middle school?”

Eddie sighed. Looked down at his feet. In this position, with Buck in the jeep and Eddie leaning in the door, Buck was about six inches from burying his face in Eddie’s hair. God, that was off the table, but maybe he could—his hand twitched.

Eddie looked back up at him. His tongue flickered over his lips. He blinked slowly. Buck gripped his own knee, white-knuckled, because he was pretty sure this proximity was actively killing him.

“Look, you took that bracelet, right?”

Buck frowned. It was still in his hand, now pressed between his palm and his leg. Eddie couldn’t see it.

“I’d like it back.” Eddie let go of the door, not quite meeting Buck’s eyes, and held out his hand. “It was supposed to be mine.”

 _What the fuck?_ No, that’s not possible. Eddie’s straight. If Eddie weren’t straight, Buck would know. They would’ve… been something, anything, by now. The only reason they weren’t is because Eddie _is_ straight. Totally one hundred percent. Buck had tested it multiple times. Eddie wasn't interested. Buck knew that… right?

“I’ll trade you for it.” Eddie was digging in his front pocket now and, to Buck’s surprise, pulled out two more of his special bracelets. Pink, gray, gold. Green, blue, red. He looked them over and picked up the slightly rougher one. “I made the first one for you, anyway.” He tucked the other back in his pocket.

Buck had never felt more lost. He couldn’t speak, could barely think. _Whatthefuckwhatthefuck?_ “Eddie…” He managed.

Eddie picked up his arm. The bi bracelet was left behind. “Oh, great.” Eddie plucked it off his knee and put it on, where it dangled next to that last special bracelet. He then put Buck’s on him.

“Look, Buck,” He took a breath. “I don’t know what’s been going with you today, not for sure, and I know that I’m not the best at opening up, but when—if you want to talk about it, I’ll be here, okay?” Eddie started to close the car door.

Buck turned and slid out, this time the one to catch the door. He was much closer to Eddie than he’d intended. His mouth was dry. Eddie appeared calm, maybe even smug, looking up at Buck and just waiting. He glanced over at their hands, inches apart against the side of the jeep, matching bracelets mocking him. Pink, gray, gold. Green, blue, red. As he watched, Eddie’s moved over his, fingers gentle against his knuckles.

“Hey, Buck,” Eddie whispered. “You can kiss me if you want.”

Buck snapped his gaze back to Eddie’s face, so frustrating and intimate. Eddie was open and sure and Buck had never wanted anything more in his life. His other hand cupped Eddie’s face and he closed the small distance, finally—finally!—bringing their lips together.

Eddie responded, but let Buck take the lead, giving him slow, sweet kisses. He’d tilted his head back, tucking himself closer to Buck somehow, and his long fingers caressed both of Buck’s wrists, keeping his hands locked on Eddie’s face and the jeep, respectively.

Buck shuddered as he pulled back—he didn’t want to, he had to, he was worried about his knees giving out—and found himself swallowing a moan at the dark look in Eddie’s eyes. God, how could he ever pull himself together after that?

“Um,” He chuckled, looking down at the ground. “That was—” Eddie released him, took step back. Buck regretted speaking. He missed the warmth on his arms, the stubble on his palm, the brush of Eddie’s legs so tantalizingly close. “—good, right? Like, not just me?”

Eddie tilted his head. His breathing seemed unsteady. His voice was rough. “Definitely not.” _Oh._ Eddie was having more trouble controlling himself than Buck was.

Buck’s hesitation evaporated. He found himself wondering what he’d been so afraid of. Suddenly, everything felt easy. His smile was face-splitting. He stepped fully out of the jeep, letting the door close behind him. “Funny how a friendship bracelet is what finally ruined our friendship.”

Eddie frowned. “Don’t say that.”

“No?” Buck took Eddie’s hand, turning it palm up and playing with the bracelets. He rubbed his thumb along Eddie’s wrist and, if possible, grinned harder when Eddie’s breath hitched. “Should I call it something else?”

“Yeah,” Eddie seemed to shake himself off, stilling Buck’s hand and using his own to indicate Buck’s bracelet. “It’s a family bracelet. Not for friendship.”

“That wasn’t—” Buck was confused. He had been asking about the state of their relationship now, or so he thought. Not the goddamn bracelet. “What the fuck’s a family bracelet?”

Eddie glanced up, a bit exasperated and a bit pink in the cheeks, and pointed out the colors in turn. “Red, green, and gray for Christopher. Blue, gold, and pink for you. Obviously.”

“Obviously?” Eddie had to be punking him now, right? “Where’re you in this?”

“Well, I made it.” If he wasn’t mistaken, Eddie was blushing, red up the back of his neck to the tips of his ears.

“Okay.” It was cute. But now he had to know, why those colors? “I just don’t see how—”

Eddie threw up his hands. He was flush with embarrassment. He floundered for a moment before he started speaking. Loudly. Buck couldn’t stop smiling. “Your eyes are the brightest blue I’ve ever seen. Your hair is golden in the sunlight. And pink—!” Eddie stepped close again and Buck was the one whose breath hitched. His fingers fluttered on Buck’s temple, at his birthmark. His voice came out soft. “Well, pink.”

“Fuck.” Buck exhaled. He wrapped his arms around Eddie, squeezing, and kissed him again, this time hungry, desperate. Eddie gripped his shirt in one hand and his hair with the other, lips parting for Buck as he turned them, pressing Eddie against the jeep. His hands found Eddie’s hips and he slid his shirt up, just a little, to caress the skin there. Eddie groaned into his mouth and his knee nudged between Buck’s and Buck had to grab the jeep to hold himself up as Eddie’s thigh ground—

The car behind them went off, alarm piercing the air and Buck flinched to the side. He would’ve slammed his face into the jeep but for Eddie keeping ahold of him, sighing deeply at whoever was standing on the other side of the sedan.

“Sorry,” The car chirped as Chim turned off the alarm. “We’ve just been waiting a while for you to finish your argument, but then it looked like maybe you weren’t going to.”

Buck turned and, sure enough, Chim was standing on the other side of his car, keys in hand, duffel on his shoulder. He looked amused, not angry.

“You could’ve said something.” Buck’s ears were still ringing, but not enough that he missed Eddie’s snort. “He could have!”

“Uh, maybe,” Chim put his bag in his trunk. “But I thought this might be less awkward.” He shrugged, getting his car. “Guess I was wrong.”

“Besides,” Hen’s voice called out from across the lot and the boys snapped around to see both Hen and Jo standing by their respective vehicles. “We were all enjoying the show.” She waved, cheeky, getting in hers.

“Hope this means I’ll see you both at the bar later.” Jo, who Buck felt a sudden warmth for, blew them a kiss and pulled on her helmet. In a moment, they were all gone, even the gunning of Jo’s motorcycle faded in the wind.

Eddie looked at him, lips darkened from Buck’s. He’d made no attempt to move away from Buck or fix his shirt. “We don’t have to go. She won’t care.”

“Nah,” Buck leaned down, pressing one last chaste kiss on Eddie. “We should. I’m proud of us.” He pulled back and tugged Eddie around to the other side of the jeep. “Let me get the door for you.”

“Buck,” Eddie laughed. “I can drive myself.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want you to.” He opened the passenger door and the thought occurred to him. “Do you think Jo will give me a pride bracelet after I turned her down twice?”

“Oh,” Eddie reached into his back pocket and held up two bracelets, one bi, one pan. “She said she still wasn’t sure which you’d want.”

Buck blinked. And then he scowled. “I think I hate her.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I know, prolly a bit ooc and not enough of everyone else, but i think it's cute. i didn't have buck pick a bracelet because it could go either way. also i wanted bobby to wear bracelets, so we're just making ally bracelets a thing now. okay, thanks.


End file.
